In designing with plants, it is the perennials that ensure that there is constant change, and that there is always an element of surprise or interest in the garden.
Getting to know the dormant and flowering periods of the plants is essential to achieving the right balance in the design, so that as one perennial goes to sleep, another awakens.
Perennials, perhaps more than any other group of plants, are available in a huge range of colours, forms, textures and fragrances in both foliage and flower. There are perennials suitable for almost every area of the garden: from full sun to full shade, in large gardens or small beds and to suit every mood or style. Popular perennial plants include Penstemon, Gaura, Canna, Dahlias, Salvias, Lupins, Columbines, Lilies, Delphiniums and Hellebores - oh! the list is endless.
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A perennial plant (Latin per, "through", annum, "year") is a plant that lives for more than two years, unlike an Annual which grows, sets seed, gayly disperses it and then dies - all in a single season. Perennial plants are divided into two large groups: those that are woody and those that are herbaceous. They can be short-lived (only a few years) or they can be long-lived, and can vary in size from only a few millimeters to over 10 meters tall. They include a wide assortment of plant groups from Ferns to the highly diverse flowering plants like Orchids and Ornamental Grasses.
Perennials typically grow structures that allow them to adapt to living from one year to the next. These structures include bulbs, tubers, woody crowns, rhizomes plus others. They might have specialized stems or crowns that allow them to survive periods of dormancy over cold or dry seasons during the year. Many perennials have adapted to survive under extreme environmental conditions: some can survive hot dry conditions, or cold temperatures. These plants tend to invest a lot of resource into their adaptations and often do not flower and set seed until after a few years of growth.
Many perennials produce relatively large seeds, which can have an advantage as they produce larger seedlings after germination that can better compete with other plants or more quickly develop leaves, ensuring their survival.
In warmer climates, perennials grow continuously. In seasonal climates, their growth is limited to the growing season. For example, in temperate regions a perennial plant may grow and bloom during the warm part of the year, with the foliage dying back in the winter. These plants are deciduous perennials. Regrowth is from existing stem tissue. In some species, perennials retain their foliage all year round; these are evergreen perennials. Come in and take a look around. We've always got something pretty, perky and persuasive in the perennial line.
Spring Promise Conny is a clump forming, evergreen or semi-evergreen perennial with leathery, deeply lobed, dark green leaves. Upright stems bearing bowl shaped, white flowers heavily spotted with maroon will colour your winter and early spring garden. Perennial.
Flower Colour: White / Red Habit: Clump Forming Leaves: Semi-Evergreen, Green Mature Size (HxW): 60cm x 60cm
Winter Rose. This variety has white to pale yellow saucer shaped flowers over several months in winter to early spring. The plant forms a bushy compact clump topped by the flowers which face outwards. Dark green, divided leathery leaves. Plant in well drained soil with good amount of organic matter. Perennial.
Flower Colour: White / Cream Habit: Clump Forming Mature Size (HxW): 40cm x 50cm
Of the latest Ice N Roses collection Ice N Roses Merlot will flower tirelessly through winter and well into spring with dark burgundy outward facing blooms, held above the leaf. These will look great providing gorgeous winter colour in your garden or patio containers. Evergreen
Flower Colour: Red Habit: Upright Leaves: Evergreen, Green Mature Size (HxW): 60cm x 100cm
From the Ice N Roses collection Ice N Roses Rose hellebore will flower tirelessly through winter and well into spring producing gorgeous white flowers, rimmed with dark pink edges outward facing blooms, held above the leaf. These will look great providing gorgeous winter colour in your garden or patio containers. Evergreen
Flower Colour: White / Pink Habit: Upright Leaves: Evergreen, Green Mature Size (HxW): 60cm x 100cm
Winter Rose single. Oh this is lovely - dark green glossy foliage that forms a mound topped off with stems of large creamy-white blooms, blushed with pink and lime green opening from pink buds. Plant in semi-shade in well drained soil. Evergreen Perennial.
Flower Colour: Cream / Pink Habit: Clump Forming Leaves: Deciduous, Green Mature Size (HxW): 0.3m x 0.3m
Seedling. An essential winter plant with nodding cup shaped blooms in shades of crisp white to deep wine and everything in-between. Flowers in winter and early spring just when the garden needs some colour. Plant in semi-shade in well drained humus rich soil for best results. Perennial.
A very hardy evergreen clumping perennial. It has long strappy foliage that is a beautiful dark green and produces violet-purple flower spikes from mid Spring through to Autumn. Great for mass planting or borders. Easy to grow in sun or part shade. Evergreen.
This Aussie perennial is ideal for group planting in sun or part shade. Fine needles of lime-green foliage form an attractive clump and look good all year round. Little stems of yellow fragrant flowers in summer. Tolerates poor soil but likes good drainage. Easy to grow. Evergreen.